6 Knicks players who could be moved and why

The Knicks, to the surprise of few, are not very good. They have no identity except for inconsistency. If it weren’t for Enes Kanter, you’d often wonder if they had a pulse.

None of that will change after the Feb. 8 trade deadline. The Knicks, understandably, have been taking the seller’s stance in negotiations with patience as the priority — and the 2019 free-agent class in focus.

What that means is the rebuild will continue into next season, before the front office makes its push. If the Knicks shed some players or stand pat, the idea is to not take back anything that could cut into their future draft picks or 2019 cap space.

It’s not exactly an exciting approach for the microwave fans, but it’s the prudent choice for a new front office that inherited large contracts like Joakim Noah’s and Courtney Lee’s.

With that in mind, here’s a breakdown of six players who could be moved — their chances of being moved — and why:

Joakim Noah

Both sides would love a separation but it’s not realistic for four simple reasons: 1) the Knicks don’t want to buy him out unless he gives up a big chunk of his remaining salary; 2) Noah doesn’t want to give up much, if any, of his remaining salary; 3) Noah is untradeable because of his contract unless attached with draft picks; 4) the Knicks don’t want to give up picks just to get rid of Noah.

What is left is a standoff that will likely extend beyond the deadline and get uglier.

Willy Hernangomez

Willy Hernangomez

(Phelan M. Ebenhack/AP)

The Knicks are trying to ease their congestion at center and Hernangomez is the most likely to be traded given his team-friendly contract and potential. Although teams are concerned that he’s been glued to the bench this season, Hernangomez, 23, is still viewed as an offensive prospect with room to grow. The Jazz is among the teams to show interest, according to a source. There is debate within the organization about whether to give up on Hernangomez.

Kyle O’Quinn

Even in the midst of a strong season, the market for O’Quinn hasn’t been great because he’s on an expiring contract (he’s not going to pick up the player option) and is viewed as a rental. Plus, any team that would have interest in acquiring O’Quinn — or Hernangomez or Kanter, for that matter — would prefer Greg Monroe, who just hit the market as an unrestricted free agent. The Knicks might be better off holding onto O’Quinn and letting his contract turn into cap space.

Courtney Lee

Courtney Lee.

(Elsa/Getty Images)

There’s a demand for wings around the NBA but Lee is an integral part of the Knicks, so they’re not going to unload him without a worthy return. He is one of only three Knicks on the books for the 2019-20 season (along with Noah and Tim Hardaway Jr.) so they’d like to shed him before the 2019 free agency. But there are three more opportunities to do that after this deadline — the 2018 draft, the 2019 deadline and the 2019 draft. In other words, there’s no rush on Lee unless the return is irresistible.

Enes Kanter

He’s experiencing a breakthrough season but has an $18 million player option next season that makes him difficult to move. Further, the Knicks like his contributions. It’s hard to see a potential deal that makes sense.

Michael Beasley

There hasn’t been much interest in Beasley and, even if there was, the Knicks think very highly of a player that has exceeded expectations. Player development VP Craig Robinson is especially big on Beasley and the Knicks may even dip into their mid level to re-sign him over the summer. Here’s the key with that negotiation, however: don’t give more than a one-year deal.